Number of medical training places filled increases for second year in a row

"It is encouraging that the percentage of advertised medical training places filled has increased for the second year in a row. A total of 85% of trainee places were filled compared with 80% last year, meaning 999 medical trainees will take up a range of specialty training posts in Scotland's NHS this year.

"We continue to make progress in attracting trainees into general practice, with an 86% fill rate (352 training posts filled from 407 available). The £20,000 Scottish Government-funded bursary for GP posts - many in remote and rural areas - has seen more posts filled in these areas compared to 2017. This shows that our efforts to target and recruit doctors for certain specialities is working.

"I am also pleased our commitment to increase the number of trainee radiology posts is being met. All of these trainee posts have been filled, including the extra ten added to the recruitment rounds this year. We have also seen an improvement in the higher level psychiatric specialities fill rates.

"We recognise there are some specialities and parts of the country where recruitment is still challenging. That is why we are taking action to encourage recruitment. These include the ScotGEM graduate-entry course, with its focus on general practice and rural working, efforts to improve educational content and attractiveness of speciality training posts, and bursaries to recruit doctors for certain specialities."